Thursday, August 07, 2008
Published Thursday, May 15, 2008 in Local
Former youth minister receives probation for enticing child
The Times-Herald
Kenneth L. McDonald, 41, a former youth minister at Bethel Baptist Church in Meriwether County in the Luthersville area, pleaded guilty Thursday in Coweta Superior Court to criminal attempt to entice a child for indecent purposes.
McDonald, who was represented by attorney Patricia Buttaro, was sentenced by Judge Jack Kirby to 10 years probation, with 9-12 months to be spent in a probation detention center. McDonald must also pay a $1,000 fine. Upon release, McDonald must register on the Coweta sex offender list and is required to stay away from the 14-year-old victim, who was a member of his youth group.
In August 2007, the victim's mother teamed up with the Coweta County Sheriff's Office and taped two hours of what have been deemed inappropriate phone conversations between McDonald and the victim. From those recordings, investigators were able to determine the relationship had crossed the line, though they did not suspect that a sexual relationship had developed, according to Assistant District Attorney Kevin McMurry.
A search warrant was executed at McDonald's residence on Witcher Road on Aug. 3, 2007. Police seized his home computer, pornography and letters written to him by the 14-year-old girl. McDonald was arrested following the search warrant.